Glossary · Search
Source page
The source page is the web page on which a face search engine found a matching image. It is the most useful part of a result: it tells you who published the photo, in what context, and where a removal request must go. Engines differ in whether they show source pages for free; some blur or lock them behind a paid plan.
Updated November 6, 2026 · 1 min read
Why is the source page the useful part?
A thumbnail tells you a similar face exists somewhere. The source page tells you where: a news article, a modelling portfolio, a scam-report forum, a repost site. The context on it, name, date, caption, other photos, is also what lets you decide whether the match is you or a look-alike (the doppelganger effect).
How do engines treat it?
| Engine | Source page on the free tier |
|---|---|
| PimEyes | Hidden; paid plans unlock |
| FaceCheck.ID | Shown, limited count |
| FaceSearch | Locked on the Free plan; every paid plan unlocks |
| Google Lens, TinEye | Always shown |
What can you do with it?
- Verify the match against the page's name, date and other photos.
- Contact the site owner or use the site's report form to request removal.
- File a DMCA takedown if you hold the copyright in the photo.
- Use the URL in a platform impersonation report or a request to Google to remove the result; the NCII removal directory and report impersonation directory list the forms.
Why do source links break?
The index lags the web. A page deleted or moved after the last crawl still appears in results until the engine recrawls it. A dead link is therefore common and usually means the photo is already gone from that address, though copies elsewhere may remain.
Does the engine host the image?
Engines store embeddings and, typically, thumbnails; the image itself stays on the source page. This is why removal from an engine (an opt-out) and removal from the source are different requests to different parties.
Questions
The source link does not open. Is the photo gone?
Usually it has been removed or moved at that address. Search again later to see whether the engine has dropped the result, and check for copies elsewhere.
Can I remove a photo from a source page through the engine?
No. The engine can only drop its own result. Removal from the page is a request to that site's owner or host.
Sources
- 1.U.S. Copyright Office, The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (checked November 6, 2026)
- 2.Google Search Help, Remove images or results from Google (checked November 6, 2026)
Entry reviewed November 6, 2026. Found an error? Tell us.
Related entries
- Term Index (face search) Index defined for face search: the stored set of face embeddings and source URLs built from crawled public pages, how it is refreshed, and why its scope matters.
- Term Opt-out Opt-out defined for face search engines: a request to one engine to remove your face from its results, what it requires, what it does, and what it does not do.
- Term DMCA takedown DMCA takedown defined: the US copyright notice that makes online services remove infringing material, what it must contain, when it applies to photos, and limits.
- Directory Where to report a fake or impersonating account Official impersonation report routes for 13 platforms, from Instagram and Facebook to Tinder and Telegram, with who can file and what each asks for.
- Directory Removing intimate images shared without consent, by country Intimate image removal routes in 11 countries: the law, where to report, the platform deadline and the helpline, from the US and UK to India and Brazil.
Cite this entry
FaceSearch Wiki editors. "Source page". FaceSearch Wiki, updated November 6, 2026. https://facesearch.wiki/glossary/source-page/